Category Archives: Food

It’s no secret to many of us that the nature of agriculture and food supply is changing world-wide. While I am certainly not an “organic” only shopper or eater, I do like to be aware of where my food comes from and I do place importance on supporting a more local, organic approach to eating.

The problem is systemic and I am not going to argue for one side or the other because in reality-as with most things in life-accountability is individual. We truly vote with our dollars. ALWAYS. EVERY DOLLAR YOU SPEND IS A VOTE IN FAVOR OF A PRODUCT, A COMPANY AND A PRODUCTION STYLE.

I’ve come to the opinion that many of our present day issues (environmental, social, political, etc) are the direct result of simply too many people in the world. I believe this to be the case with food supply and agriculture. There are simply too many people to feed. Ingenious engineers and scientists have risen to the challenge and have managed to develop seed that grows larger, faster and easier. Successful (albeit unscrupulous) seed corporations and mega-farms have been generously rewarded (and rightfully so) for producing the world’s daily bread.

Well, first of all-I stopped buying Canola oil. It’s not good for me, anyway. Here’s why.

Secondly, I make an effort to not consume. Overall. What I mean is simply not buying so much stuff.This seems so simple, but in the US culture that is what we do-buy stuff. That’s what fuels our economy. Buying stuff. And we do it so well!

Every time I think about anti-consuming, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World: “Ending is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches”. Certainly in the US, we have been thoroughly conditioned to believe this to be true. Even my own husband, a non-US native, was embarrassed by the patched I sewed on the knee of my son’s school uniform. He promptly bought him some new pants.

Finally, in my consumption, I try to always keep in mind that EVERY DOLLAR I SPEND IS A VOTE IN FAVOR OF A PRODUCT, A COMPANY AND A PRODUCTION STYLE. When at all possible I try to research my purchases and choose the best, most responsible option. If you are interested in doing the same thing here is a guide to start with:

Call it a fad or a trend, I have fallen victim to the idea that the best way to feed my family is to look to local farmers and ranchers as much as possible. The way I see it, I am not only supporting our local economy, environment and preserving open lands, but I am also providing my family with fresh, healthy, seasonal food, avoiding toxic chemicals, avoiding genetically modified foods and teaching my kids about REAL FOOD.

“Each of us shares in the lasting success of local agriculture. No longer will I assume that food just appears at the supermarket regardless of the season. The local growers who provide my sustenance are people I need to know. I understand that their livelihood is intimately connected to the vibrancy of my community. It matters to me how my food is grown and that it comes from nearby. Paying full worth for a life-enhancing food supply is more than a matter of shopping for the lowest price. Making agriculture sustainable is as much my responsibility as the farmer’s.”

Like with most things in life, it is definitely the journey and not the destination that I find pleasurable. While I am far from my goal of eating 100% locally and seasonally, I’ve noticed that recently I’ve even found the supermarket to be somewhat awkward. I’ve always been a supporter of farmer’s markets and was thrilled when I was offered a job with the Beaverton Farmer’s Market. Now there will be no excuse for me not to shop locally during the market season. But, what to do during those long, rainy winter months? We have to eat! Here are a few options in the Portland Area: